Aadeel Akhtar - Psyonic (1/20/22)

In this talk

1. 0:50

   From early inspiration to Psyonic

   Akhtar says meeting a child with an amputation during a visit to Pakistan inspired his work. After studying biology and computer science, he became interested in mind-controlled prosthetics but saw a gap between costly advanced devices and the limited access to prosthetics worldwide. A successful early fitting in Ecuador helped convince him to turn the research into a product.

2. 8:53

   The Ability Hand and its design

   Akhtar presents Psyonic’s Ability Hand, describing its movable fingers and thumb, proportional control, and resistance to impacts. He says it closes in about 200 milliseconds, charges in roughly an hour, and typically runs eight to ten hours. Medicare coverage, he says, expanded access for U.S. patients beyond those covered by workers’ compensation or the VA.

3. 17:42

   Touch feedback and user control

   The hand uses force-sensitive resistors to detect contact, with vibration to signal changes in pressure. Akhtar describes tests in which feedback helped users handle fragile objects, including an 85-year-old triple amputee picking up an eggshell while blindfolded. His team is also studying electrical stimulation and a controller that adjusts stimulation as skin or electrode conditions change.

4. 28:31

   Research beyond the hand

   Akhtar explains a skin-stretch method that signals finger position and movement; participants identified six grips with 88% accuracy after six minutes of training. He also outlines an artificial tendon concept for finger prostheses that connects muscle-driven tendons to an implant, and says cadaver work reproduced much of a natural finger’s motion and grip strength. Psyonic’s longer-term ambitions include prosthetic legs and a bionics institute focused on bringing research to patients.

5. 38:04

   Engineering details and audience questions

   In the discussion, Akhtar says the team has not yet tested whether its sensors can distinguish textures. He describes using resistive force sensors for their sensitivity and durability, and says users can adjust thresholds in the app. The hand uses six brushless motors with field-oriented control, worm gears that hold finger positions without continuous power, and a reported grip strength of about 10 to 15 pounds.